I am John Arnold, a 4-year Varsity starter at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, California. I have a 4.14 cumulative GPA at the end of my Junior year. I rank 22nd out of the 123 graduating students in June 2025. I am interested in pursuing a degree in business management/finance, engineering, or sports management. I value education and have worked hard to balance my life as a student-athlete.
The discipline and commitment that drive me to be academically strong and confident translate equally in skills and leadership on the baseball field. I am primarily a middle infielder with fast hands and footwork, well-coordinated at shortstop and 2B. Secondarily, I can play 3B and center field. I have been seeing time on the mound as a relief pitcher as well. I am fortunate to be able to play multi-positions and adjust accordingly.
As a Freshman, I was the starting shortstop and lead-off hitter on the JV team and earned MVP honors, hitting .325 and leading the team in runs, hits, and stolen bases. I also started six games on the Varsity team and played in five others, hitting .500. I batted .400 (18-45) in summer HS ball after my Freshman year. I was the starting second baseman on Varsity as a Sophomore in 19 of the 20 games. In my Junior year, I started every game as third baseman. I also rotated in 2B and as a relief pitcher. I finished near the top of our League in doubles, on-base percentages, and OPS. I am going into my Senior year as a starting shortstop, intent on leading my team to a League championship.
This Summer, I led my HS Varsity team in hits, homeruns, extra-base hits, and walks while batting in the lead-off spot and starting every game at shortstop. In addition, I played for a scout ball team, MLB Urban Youth Academy, as well as a travel ball team, Team California Noble Prospects. Cumulatively, I played a solid offense batting .340 with a total of 2 HRs, 5 2Bs, 4 3Bs, and aggressive base stealing. In all of the games I played, I was either a starting shortstop or 3B where I made clean and smart plays in every direction with limited errors, if any.
I have played baseball since I was 8 years old. I was a competitive swimmer for four years. I practiced martial arts. I was also a starting small forward on the Freshman basketball team in Division 1 in Southern California. These days, you will find me lifting weights in the gym or taking practice swings in the batting cages after school. I am naturally athletic and coachable. I am highly motivated.
What I also find satisfying these days is that I have been able to influence my HS teammates in getting stronger. I share my gym membership with 1-2 of them who have committed to changing their body composition. I can proudly say that these workouts have been paying off. It may not mean much to many people but the ability to influence my teammates positively so that they can be confident and fit is as important to me as my own physical fitness and skill development.
I understand the competitive nature of scouting for Collegiate baseball. Some joke about being recruited based on the "look test". I am 5'10 and 165 lbs so I do not automatically fall in that category, but that is a good thing because it has helped me work harder, smarter, and better. I want to catch a recruiter's attention based on my natural athletic abilities that go hand-in-hand with discipline, commitment to work hard on and off the field, true grit, a positive self-image, and a genuine understanding of teamwork and leadership. You can trust me to be the first one on the field and the last to leave because I want to be better and help others be the same. I know that if a college baseball program invests in me, I will be committed to making a positive difference on and off the field.
My life as a student-athlete is intense but at the end of the day, I am an easygoing and happy 17-year-old kid who enjoys playing competitive baseball, aims at getting the best education I possibly can, and excited to discover myself as an adult in the real world, past the boundaries of High School. I hope to hear from you soon!
